British Movie

Has Nice Effects

But Little Weight

Given its arty twists and turns, the British film Thicker Than Water had better redeem itself with some satisfying resolutions.

It doesn't, darn it. Top billing goes to Theresa Russell (Black Widow), who seemingly likes nothing better than playing spider women. She has a dual role here, as twin sisters named Jo and Debbie.

Jo, newly pregnant, is happily married to Sam (Jonathan Pryce). Debbie, who desperately wants both children and Sam, is unhappily habitating with Paul (Robert Puch), a heavy-drinking detective. Jo's sudden death at the hands of a hit-and-run motorist leaves Sam severely depressed and Debbie looking to make him hers. Meanwhile, another dead body is discovered and a rubber-room refugee by the name of Phipps (Richard Lynch) is doing his very best to act suspicious. The cops keep blowing him off, though.

Thicker's pluses are a visually arresting array of filmic touches and flashbacks, even though they don't add up to much. Pryce is a very effective, underrated actor who should have won an Emmy for his work in HBO's acclaimed Barbarians at the Gate. He is first-rate here, as is Puch.

Russell is alternately alluring and washed-out in roles without much tensile strength. She seems to enjoy wielding knives and overdressing to kill in films that all have gone wrong at some point. On that score, Thicker Than Water keeps the faith.